COLUMBUS, Ohio –– Chris Holtmann is on the verge of signing his first ever five-star prospect at Ohio State in the class of 2022, as Alpharetta, Georgia, guard and No. 12-rated overall recruit Bruce Thornton verbally committed to the program this past November.
As for a five-star big man, the Buckeyes have not had one of those since Northland High School alum Jared Sullinger came aboard as the No. 5 overall player in the country in the class of 2010.
Ohio State appeared to be among a number of candidates that had a chance to land late-to-commit 7-foot center and No. 24 overall recruit Efton Reid out of the class of 2021 earlier this offseason, but the Buckeyes instead brought in Indiana transfer center Joey Brunk, and Reid is expected to commit elsewhere any day now.
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“I think we just have to keep swinging,” Holtmann said last week about the pursuit of a top-end big man. “I would love for it to be a regional, local prospect.”
Given the decade-long hiatus between present day and the last time a blue chip center prospect joined the program, it would be easy to think that Sullinger was something of an anomaly. However, that was far from the case at the time.
Beginning with top national prospect Greg Oden in 2006 and ending with Sullinger in 2010, former Ohio State head coach Thad Matta brought in four five-star centers in a five-year stretch, with Oden –– an Indianapolis native –– being the only one of the bunch to come from out-of-state.
Sandwiched between Oden and Sullinger was Canton, Ohio, 7-footer Kosta Koufos in 2007, the No. 16 player in his class, as well as Canal Winchester’s B.J. Mullens –– the national No. 1 –– the very next year.
Holtmann was an assistant coach at Gardner Webb and Ohio University during that impressive recruiting stretch for Matta and company, and it caught his attention even then.
“That run of big men we saw here that came through what felt like every year, when I used to watch coach Matta’s teams over here I was like, ‘Man, there’s another one that came from the state,’” Holtmann said. “I think that helps as well.”
There aren’t exactly five-star centers growing on trees in the Buckeye state in the next couple recruiting cycles though.
In fact, the lone in-state prospect with five recruiting stars at present in either the 2022 or ‘23 classes is undecided Akron shooting guard Chris Livingston, the No. 3 prospect in the upcoming class.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the Buckeyes are out of the running for an elite big moving forward though.
Holtmann may not have given out specific details, but the Buckeye coach said he likes where the program is at with more than one future prospect that could fit the bill down the line.
“I feel good, I feel well-positioned,” Holtmann said. “I think we’re in good position with some guys here moving forward.”
Ohio State’s current roster composition may not require a dominant center to anchor things down low, as the Buckeyes got all the way to the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game without one this past season. But that doesn’t change the fact that the last two Final Four appearances for the program came in 2007 and 2012, with Oden and Sullinger leading the way in each year, respectively.
